GLOUCESTER, Massachusetts (20 May 2009) — Police divers recovered the body of a diver who failed to resurface two days ago while scuba diving off Gloucester. Search officials told CDNN they found Paul Blanchette, 49, of Dracut, about three miles off Gloucester. Blanchette, who was diving with a rebreather, disappeared while scuba diving with two friends at the Charles A Poling, a shipwreck that is about 27 meters deep. The other two divers called for help at about 4:00 pm after failing to find Blanchette who did not resurface according to the dive plan. A U.S. Coast Guard Jayhawk rescue helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod, four Coast Guard vessels including a 25-foot rescue boat and a 47-foot lifeboat from Station Gloucester, the Beverly Dive Team and Massachusetts State Police divers are assisting in the search for the missing scuba diver. The Coast Guard suspended the search at about 9:45 am today (Wednesday) but provided a safety zone for the State Police divers and the Beverly Fire Department Dive Team. Authorities are investigating the fatal scuba diving accident and said an autopsy of Blanchette's body would be conducted at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Boston to determine the cause of death. Blanchette's rebreather and other equipment will also be examined to determine if it was functioning properly. | | Police divers found 49-year-old Paul Blanchette dead two days after he disappeared while scuba diving at the Charles A Poling shipwreck, which is about 27 meters deep. Blanchette's death on Monday followed another fatal rebreather scuba diving accident on Saturday. Gene White (Wite), 42, died while scuba diving with a Megaladon rebreather off the Tuna Seazure dive boat off New Jersey near the wreck of the Resor. Other divers found him unconscious at a depth and despite efforts to revive him, he apparently never regained consciousness. |
